Bard Center for Entrepreneurship

Incubator

The Bard Center offers incubator space for new businesses in order to help them launch and grow their entrepreneurial ventures. The incubator space is housed at the Bard Center, which is located in the historic Masonic Building on the 16th Street Mall. This prime commercial space—in the heart of the downtown Denver business community—is offered at reduced market rates to give startup businesses a unique opportunity to network with other incubator business owners, participate in Bard Center programs, and gain valuable counsel from experienced business leaders in the community.

The Bard Center creates the infrastructure and processes needed to help entrepreneurs create thriving new ventures. Advisory Council members—high-profile working entrepreneurs and leaders in the business community—share their expertise and industry contacts and help mentor the owners of incubator companies. Entrepreneurs also receive hands on assistance from the Bard Center's Entrepreneur in Residence on all aspects of early company creation, including business planning, management, business advisory services, and capital raising strategies. Office resources include hardware and wireless connectivity; access to a library, conference rooms, and a computer lab; access to copy and fax machines and high-speed printers; and use of office furniture and other equipment.

To qualify for incubator space, candidates must be part of the Bard Center program and must complete a business plan with an exit strategy.

The following businesses are currently in residence at the Bard Center incubator:

America and the World, Inc.

www.americaandtheworld.com, owned by Nate Braden, produces online multimedia history textbooks for high school and college students.

 

Prime-Core, Inc.

www.medical-salesreps.com, owned by Ken Dropiewski, provides human capital management services to companies and candidates. The company specializes in sales and executive-level positions with an emphasis on the medical device, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, consumer, and IT industries.

 

Snoasis Medical, Inc.

Owned by Robert Tofe, was created to commercialize a new class of soft tissue substitutes for use in mucogingival surgery. In this market, the primary indications for use are treating gingival recession and increasing root coverage around a tooth. These dental procedures are aimed at addressing esthetic concerns, hypersensitivity and root caries.

 

SEMS Foundation

Owned by Anthony Rossi, www.semsfoundation.org, The Student Emergency Medical Services (SEMS) Foundation is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization that was established to save the lives of the 1,700 college students who die every year from alcohol-related emergencies. The SEMS Foundation provides consultative services to university administrators and students to devise cultural solutions for their campus through the creation of the SEMS student organization. The SEMS student organization is a peer-to-peer program that provides preventative EMS at high-risk social events, practical medical skills training for the general campus, and interactive educations for freshman and high school students.

"The Bard Center incubator is more than just office space (which they provide at a very reasonable rent, by the way). It's what every incubator should be – a facilitator between entrepreneurs and the business community. The linchpin in that relationship is the Bard Center's Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR). He takes the time to get to know your start-up company and is able to provide sound advice on everything from finance to marketing. The entrepreneurship seminar organized by the EIR have been invaluable educational tools for all of us in the incubator, and as a result of one I was able to get free legal advice on some copyright issues from the Entrepreneurship Law Center at CU-Boulder. Thanks to his efforts, the Bard Center also hired an intern to help me with the day-to-day operation of my business. These are just a few of the tangible benefits that start-up companies receive from the incubator. It's not all talk— they back it up with action as well."

—Nate Braden, America and the World, Incubator Tenant

 

"The energy and creativity associated with working in the incubator is contagious. I'm surrounded by so many others trying to take their business to the next level. The staff support and networking opportunities have been phenomenal…"

—Ken Dropiewski, Prime-Core, Bard Center Incubator Tenant

 

"Dave (entrepreneur in residence) has challenged me to step back and assess my current processes and make critical adjustments that will help my success. These are things I probably would have missed on my own. His insight and recommendations have been extremely valuable. We are lucky to have him here…"

—Ken Dropiewski, Prime-Core, Bard Center Incubator Tenant